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Meth Project Foundation Joins The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Georgia Meth Project to Continue its Focus on Meth Prevention
Operating as Independent Organization and Local Member of The Partnership

ATLANTA—March 13, 2013—The Partnership at Drugfree.org announced today that the Meth Project Foundation—the national organization that created the Meth Project's renowned and effective methamphetamine prevention program—will join The Partnership's national efforts to reduce substance abuse among teens. The Partnership will take over the management of the Foundation's creative assets, prevention tools, and family of websites, including MethProject.org. The Georgia Meth Project will continue operating as an independent organization, focusing on local efforts to prevent meth use. As a local member of The Partnership, the Georgia Meth Project will now also have access to the expertise and resources of the nation's most respected organization dedicated to reducing substance abuse.

The Georgia Meth Project launched in 2010 with a statewide anti-meth public education campaign and community outreach program. Targeting teens and young adults, the campaign aimed to change behavior and attitudes about meth use. Since the Project's launch, statewide surveys have shown that the campaign has made young people more aware of the risks of trying meth. The Project will continue its statewide activities, including community outreach and expanded in-school programs. Last year the Georgia Meth Project visited more than 150 schools throughout Georgia, and conducted 64 community events, reaching more than 36,000 teens. In 2013, the Georgia Meth Project will expand its in-school program, making free digital resources available to teachers throughout the state.

"I commend The Partnership for making the Meth Project part of its comprehensive program to help families address the problem of teen substance abuse," said Republican Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia. "We brought the Meth Project to Georgia to stem the growing methamphetamine epidemic in our state, and we are seeing impressive results. We can now extend the Meth Project's message to a broader audience, thanks to the additional expertise and resources The Partnership can provide."

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, methamphetamine is one of the greatest drug threats to the nation. The agency recently reported that the drug is at its highest levels of availability and purity, and lowest cost since 2005 because of increased levels of meth imported from Mexico, and growing rates of small-scale domestic production. RAND estimates methamphetamine costs the country between $16.2 and $48.3 billion per year in treatment, health care, and foster care services, as well as the costs of crime and lost productivity associated with the drug.

"Joining forces with the Meth Project is an extension of The Partnership's long-standing work against meth over the past decade, and it comes at a crucial time," said The Partnership at Drugfree.org President and CEO Steve Pasierb. "Prevention is critical to reducing demand for and the societal damage of methamphetamine use, and we are looking forward to working with the Georgia Meth Project as it continues its efforts working to educate teens throughout the state. By joining together, and providing The Partnership's expertise to local efforts in Georgia and all of the Meth Project states, we are taking an important step toward the goal of reducing meth use in the U.S."

The Meth Project first launched in Montana in 2005 to address the growing problem of methamphetamine abuse. The Project gained national attention for its stark and graphic creative approach, with campaigns directed by Academy Award nominees Darren Aronofsky and Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister. The research-based program, which also includes significant community outreach, had an immediate effect: meth use declined dramatically in Montana, with teen meth use dropping by 63 percent, and meth-related crime falling by 62 percent.

As a result of the Project's success in Montana, the national Meth Project Foundation worked with seven additional states to implement the Meth Project prevention model, where it has had a major impact. Teens are significantly more aware of the risks of using methamphetamine, and teen meth use has dropped by 65 percent in Arizona, and 50 percent in Idaho. In 2011, the Project expanded further with the launch of MethProject.org, which took the Meth Project's message to a national audience of teens for the first time. The Meth Project has been cited by the White House as a model for the nation, and was rated the third-most effective philanthropic organization in the world by Barron's magazine in its most recent rankings.

About the Georgia Meth Project
The Georgia Meth Project is a non-profit organization that implements large-scale, research-based campaigns and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in the state. Central to its integrated campaigns is MethProject.org—a definitive source for information about meth for teens. The Georgia Meth Project is affiliated with the Meth Project, a national non-profit organization aimed at significantly reducing meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach. For more information, visit Georgia.MethProject.org.

About The Partnership at Drugfree.org
Ninety percent of addictions start in the teenage years. The Partnership at Drugfree.org is dedicated to solving the problem of teen substance abuse. Together with experts in science, parenting, and communications, the nonprofit translates research on teen behavior, addiction, and treatment into useful and effective resources for both individuals and communities. Working toward a vision where all young people will be able to live their lives free of drug and alcohol abuse, The Partnership at Drugfree.org works with parents and other influencers to help them prevent and get help for drug and alcohol abuse by teens and young adults. The organization depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and the public sector, and is thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.